


Cynosure

by MaskedXinger



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Library, Babysitting, First Dates, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Meet-Cute, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 04:04:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17780234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaskedXinger/pseuds/MaskedXinger
Summary: Baekhyun needs to start charging Jongin for babysitting. Why isn't Raeon where he left him?





	Cynosure

**Author's Note:**

> #19 thank you to the prompter for this awesome prompt! I hope I did it justice <3 happy reading everyone!

 

Leaving Raeon to happily colour, Baekhyun started his research, He had a long list of books to find before he could even fathom doing his research for his paper. Father Almighty why did Baekhyun do this to himself?

It was unfortunate that most of the information that Baekhyun needed was located in physical documents and books. He couldn’t rely on papers he found using google’s academic paper search feature and frankly, he kind of didn’t know what to look for. Baekhyun lost track of time, hidden amongst dusty books, his sneezes sounding in the calm and serene library. He glanced at his watch and saw that over an hour had passed since he left Raeon at his table in the kiddie section and figured he should go check up on him.

Nothing could have prepared Baekhyun for the sight before him. He watched in horror as Raeon quietly chattered to a man he had never seen before. Whilst filling in the lines of said man’s tattoos with vibrant colours from his watercolours. The man was smiling at Raeon softly, the whisper of his dimples on display. He needs chapstick- Baekhyun thought absentmindedly, watching said man play with his lip ring.

“Raeon. Raeon I thought you would be good, what’re you doing?!” he hissed, alerting both Raeon and the heavily tattooed man of his presence,promptly stopping their conversation as a result. The man turned his body slightly away from Raeon and directed his warm smile towards Baekhyun. If Baekhyun wasn’t mortified that the child had turned this man into a living, breathing colouring book, he would have returned the smile.

The child in question did not seem to realise he that he was doing anything wrong and instead looked overjoyed to see him.

“Uncle Yixing, this is Uncle Baekhyun!” Raeon exclaimed, waving the marker he had been using to colour within the lines of Yixing’s tattoo with around the air.

“It is a pleasure to meet you Baekhyun, Raeon here was telling me all about you whilst he did a little colouring.” The man- _Yixing_ \- said whilst sticking out a hand. As though his legs were moving on their own, Baekhyun moved to shake the ma- Yixing’s hand. Yixing had a firm grip and his hands were beautiful, he had the hands of a pianist. It is in this moment that Baekhyun finally took a good look at Yixing beyond his dimpled smile and his tattoos.

Yixing had deep wine red hair, styled up with the sides shaved. Other than his lip ring, the man also sported earrings and a nose ring. Round glasses were perched on his nose framing his molten chocolate eyes. Upon closer inspection, the man clearly donned smokey eye shadow of purples and burnt oranges to really bring out his eyes. Yixing was cute and he was wearing this fluffy pink sweater with both arms rolled up to show off his body art and wow Baekhyun was actually simply in love with him.

Both of his arms were tattooed and the aforementioned tattoos crept up his neck. One arm was vibrant and the other which had been a swirl of blacks and greys was well on its way to being equally colourful, thanks to Raeon. Raeon who had resumed colouring whilst his Uncle Baekhyun drank up what a fine arts student such as himself could consider a sight for sore eyes. “Sorry, I didn’t know that he would do this, I had to babysit him for a friend.” He finally apologised whilst Yixing waved off his apology.

“This little guy just saw that only one sleeve was tatted in colour and offered to remedy it. No harm no foul. Besides, who doesn’t like gossiping about cute uncles like yourself whilst sharing carrot sticks and apple sauce?” there was a teasing lilt to Yixing’s voice. Pink dusted the apple of Baekhyun’s cheeks, he was a sucker for guys like Yixing. Curse Raeon and his friendly habits! He was just like Jongin, charming and collecting anyone and everyone including this fine specimen.

“Aren’t you preoccupied? I’m sure Raeon must have interrupted you.” He asked curiously.

“I was just ordering books for my kids and he asked me why one of my sleeves wasn’t colourful and then asked to colour it.” Baekhyun’s smile dimmed a little bit. This guy had children already? He looked so young and Baekhyun hadn’t seen a ring.

“Kids?” He asked, voice strained.

“Yeah I am a kindergarten teacher, we have some reading to do when school for elementary students starts up again so I just came in to place an order for different picture books.” Oh. OH. Baekhyun sat next to Yixing and Raeon with all his books and papers.

“You seem stressed.” Yixing said, observing the way Baekhyun flipped through pages.

“Uncle was doing school stuff too! But for him, he goes to big kid school and they already started!” Raeon answered Yixing on Baekhyun’s behalf and it was all he could do to shrug sheepishly.

“I used to do my assignments the day they were due,” Yixing visibly cringed at the memory. Baekhyun groaned back and complained a little whilst Yixing made sympathetic sounds and Jongin’s nephew coloured in the tattoos further. Baekhyun felt grateful that Yixing offered to watch Raeon whilst he returned to searching through more books and papers. The boy in question had gone back to chitchatting with Yixing and barey noticed Baekhyun’s retreat.

Flushed and endeared, Baekhyun was distracted looking through books and had to force himself to power through. How he wished he was talking to Yixing instead, regaled by Yixing’s eccentric personality and anecdotes about the little kindergarteners that he taught. The man was an angel for watching Raeon and deserved a thank you of some shape or form. So Baekhyun resolved to invite him out for coffee as a thank you and as a sort-of-but-not-really date. Yixing could tell him more about Chinese Literature or what MiMi had drawn in class.

Close to lunch Baekhyun had thankfully found all the necessary information for his assignment and now it was time to fetch Raeon from Yixing. He came to Yixing sitting on a bean bag and Raeon sitting between his legs as he read Le Petit Prince to him and they looked at all the pictures. Baekhyun could not help himself and he took out his phone and snapped a few pictures of the two seated together immersed in this fictional universe to send to Jongin. Jongin was quick to respond to said photos, demanding to know who the man in the photo was and whinging about Baekhyun letting strangers replace him in his nephew’s heart.

“Okay Raeon pack your bag I am done now.” Baekhyun said and watched Raeon’s face fall before what had to be an epiphany of some kind hit the boy. He turned to face Yixing who still had Le Petit Prince in hand.

“Uncle Xingie, trade numbers with Uncle Baek otherwise I can’t see you again. You promised to show me your guitar collection!” Raeon pouted. Baekhyun must have saved a country in his past life, the inconvenience of trying to get a sort of date was being made slightly easier unprompted by him.

“I would love to get you coffee as a thank you tomorrow. For watching this handful.” Baekhyun patted Raeon’s hair for effect and both he and Yixing laughed and were swiftly hushed by the librarian. Numbers swapped, Yixing, Baekhyun and Raeon descended the library steps and went their separate ways.

Baekhyun hummed happily as Raeon jumped in puddles once more.

* * *

 

Baekhyun was nervous. In half an hour he was meeting Yixing for the coffee he promised him and he could not for the life of him decide what to wear. Obviously it had to be casual, this was not a date it was a Somewhat Kind Of A Date therefore he could not be seen to be making too much of an effort.

He had spent the night texting Yixing discussing everything from the paper he was writing last minute, to a cat Yixing used to have that he called cat. Yixing was generous with compliments towards Baekhyun and interesting tales to tell.

Jongin was no help. All Jongin could do was complain about how Raeon kept talking to his sister about “Uncle Yixing” and told her that he wants to see him again. Baekhyun merely rolled his eyes and paid his best friend complaining as he lay like a starfish on his bed and watched Baekhyun make a tornado out of his wardrobe.

In the end, Baekhyun settled with the first thing he had put on, much to Jongin’s chagrin. Black skinny jeans with a chain at the waist, a black turtleneck, a navy blue beret and a dark brown teddy coat. His battered converses were at the door so he slid on a watch and picked up his phone and wallet whilst imploring that Jongin leaves his apartment. Jongin refused, he had nowhere to be and Baekhyun had food, internet connection and video games. Everything Jongin needed was right here, and then Baekhyun could tell him about his date with the Nephew Thief and Jongin could make fun of him for liking someone in twenty four hours, a feat that only Byun Baekhyun could achieve. Maybe Baekhyun hates Jongin.

Unfortunately he had to leave and rush to the café where he was meeting Yixing. He had spent too much time worrying about his outfit and now he was supremely late. Yixing of course was punctual and was standing in front of their meeting place, tugging his coat flush against him and his hair flew all over the place due to the strong winds. Baekhyun was easy to please. A cute guy with wild hair? Sign him up!

Yixing noticed him approach and his mouth pulled into a warm smile, cheeks indented. Yanking his hands out of his pockets, Yixing greeted Baekhyun with a firm hug and thanked him for the invite to get coffee. Baekhyun was glad he was red already because of the cold, otherwise Yixing would have seen shy contentment rouge his cheeks.

Baekhyun skipped in front of Yixing to open the door for him and wanted to pull out his chair for him before Yixing stopped him with a chuckle.

“We spoke all night long and you were opinionated and talked so much but now you’re shy?” Yixing guffawed. Baekhyun lightly kicked him in the knee cap and sat in his own seat satisfied by the pained groan that interrupted Yixing’s laughter.

“Excuse me for being nervous on a first date!” He snapped and then promptly regretted. That’s not what they had agreed on. Yixing had a Cheshire like smile taking over his face and Baekhyun wanted to kick himself. Goodness, why did he have such a big mouth?

“A date? Where are my flowers then, isn’t how this works?” Yixing singsonged, a twinkle in his eyes. Baekhyun sputtered. Luckily a waitress came and they ordered their drinks and food. Baekhyun was surprised at Yixing’s order of the strawberry cheesecake with the cute pink cartoons iced on top. Seeing his inquisitive look, Yixing shrugged.

“I like cute things, dessert and pink.” Somehow, Baekhyun thought that his reasons for loving the cheesecake was really precious despite Yixing’s protests that he isn’t ADORABLE he just LIKES adorable things. “There’s a difference Baekie gosh!” Baekhyun bet that with all his tattoos and piercings, all of Yixing’s students loved him the most. He commented as much and this made Yixing beam and launch into stories about his students. Baekhyun listened as their coffees, cheesecake and cinnamon bun arrived, smiling when Yixing passionately waving his hands about him almost led to him knocking the tray out of a very haggard waitress’ hand.

Baekhyun took a sip and closed his eyes to relish in the flavour. He hadn’t gotten to drink his morning coffee that day, he was getting breakfast with Yixing after all. He opened his eyes to Yixing smiling at him, his own cup being cradled in his hands. Noticing that he had Baekhyun’s attention, Yixing took a forkful of his cheesecake and directed it to Baekhyun’s mouth. Baekhyun held his hand in his and took the bite offered to him. The burst of flavour was unreal. The way it melted in his mouth was like magic. He wanted another bite but Yixing pulled his plate away.

“You should’ve ordered your own cute pink cartoon cheesecake!” he said, voice smug. Baekhyun rolled his eyes and took a bite of his own cinnamon bun, relishing in the sharp sweetness of the icing and the freshness of the bun. Yixing observed him and Baekhyun stuck out his tongue at him. Both of them had spent the entire date being silly and he was having fun. It felt wonderful to take it easy in someone’s company when he had all this stress in pursuit of this degree of his. It had been so long since he had been on a date like this, where they build off of each other’s energy and Baekhyun didn’t want it to end.

Yixing was oblivious to all of these thoughts as he asked what Baekhyun loved and hated about his degree. It is at this point that he found out that Yixing’s degree was actually in classical music and he did in fact play piano as his hands had suggested. Yixing was not nearly as pretentious as the classical music students at Baekhyun’s school and this fact endeared him even more to Baekhyun. Whilst Baekhyun considered himself the quintessential fine arts student, it was refreshing to meet someone like Yixing who fit into practically no box. If Luna Lovegood had a twin, that twin would be Yixing.

Yixing was the human form of art, his tattoos were highly unusual because with one arm saturated in colour and the other black and white with intricate details, they should not go together but they made perfect sense and were complimentary. Metal and jewels caught the light as Yixing spoke with his lilting musical voice.

Several hours passed and many more cheesecakes were shared between them accompanied by bitter coffee. They found themselves startled by the lunch hour rush and Baekhyun paid their bill before grasping Yixing’s hand in his and swinging their arms as they walked out.

It was dreary and cold outside but they marched on enjoying each other’s company. They talked about anything and everything on this promenade. Yixing snorted at Jongin calling him The Nephew Thief saying that it is not in any way, shape, or form, his fault that children found him loveable. Baekhyun was inclined to agree. Yixing suddenly stopped and turned to face Baekhyun with his entire body.

“Baekhyun, I really enjoyed our morning together and I would love it if you would join me for lunch after we have worked up an appetite from this walk.” He said, playing with his lip ring. An orchestra accompanied a singing opera in Baekhyun’s heart as he smiled back and tightened his grip on Yixing’s hand.

“Yixing, I’d love nothing more.”

**Author's Note:**

> And thats where it ends *boos and hisses*. I hope everyone feels warm and cozy after reading my little offering for this fest! Once again thank you to the prompter I really loved writing this!


End file.
